Justice served: Toledo’s 20-year sentence in the Odebrecht scandal

In a historic ruling on Monday, Peru’s National Superior Court of Specialized Criminal Justice in Lima sentenced former president Alejandro Toledo to 20 years and six months in prison. The ruling comes in relation to the infamous Odebrecht scandal, which marked a key moment in the fight against corruption in Latin America.

Toledo, who served as Peru’s head of state from 2001 to 2006, was convicted of accepting $35 million in bribes from Brazilian construction company Odebrecht. These payments were made in exchange for facilitating a lucrative highway construction project in the country.

The Odebrecht scandal is a case of extensive corruption that has engulfed several Latin American countries. This case marks a significant step in the accountability of powerful figures, with investigations launched by the US Department of Justice and extending to nations such as Mexico, Guatemala and Ecuador.

(With contributions from agencies.)